Hi.

I sent an email to the Houston consulate requesting a 90 day Non Imm O visa.

I stated, I wanted to extend the 90 day visa to a 12

months Non O for the purpose of retiring in Thailand. They responded I must get an O-A visa from the embassy

In New Your or DC. I would like to try for a Non O at the Portland consulate. But I’m not sure if I am parsing my request/reason correctly.

Question: Anyone who has successfully received a 90 day Non O visa from a U.S. consulate, how did you frame your question/request so as not to be told you need a O-A visa?

Or is it maybe they are not giving out any 90 Non O visa right now.

Thanks.

Tom.

In your email you could explain that the 90-day stay the non-O visa allows you will enable you to explore the possibility of retiring in Thailand in some detail and that if you do decide in favour of Thailand you can meet Thai immigration's requirements for annual extensions of stay for the reason of retirement.

I would try Portland. I recently asked both Houston and Portland the same question as you did. Houston gave me the same answer as they gave you, however Portland confirmed that they would issue a Non-O for retirement planning. See attachment:Portland Non-O retirement.doc

This answer was received on 1/26/2012. You can download the form from their website and do everything by couier service.

Edited January 31, 201214 yr by wayned

tomx2,

Just a personal opinion. The paperwork is not extensive to do an O-A Visa with a willing Thai Consulate in the US. And, properly organized, a multi-entry O-A will allow you to stay in Thailand almost two years, before having to extend. The Thai Consulate in Atlanta had very good service. Have used them twice before.

And, again just my opinion, easier to do the O-A in the US than going through the conversion of a Non-O here in Thailand.

Cheers

Most Thai consulates in the US will not process an O/A application anymore, they will refer you to the Embassy in Washington.

Only embassies and general consulates are authorised to issue an O-A visa. Honorary consuls can only issue a non-O visa.

wayned, Mario2008,

Thanks, I was unaware of the O-A change. And, sorry to see that change.

tomx2,

The Atlanta Thai Consulate will issue a 1 year Non- O Visa. Ms. Soroko has provided very good visa information and service. Including, email today.

Diane L. Soroko | Honorary Vice Consul

303 Peachtree Street, NE | Suite 5300

Atlanta, Ga 30308

Tel: 404.527.4969 | Fax: 404.527.4198 | [email protected]

Cheers

That's nice to hear, but it's a little confuding. Do you have a Thai Family in Thailand. The consulates will normally only issue a single entry Non-O for retirement palnning - cost 2000 baht. If they are going to issue you a 1 tear Non-O it must be a multilpe entry visa (which can be obtained with a Thai family) and the cost is 5000 baht. With this type of visa, you must exit and re-enter Thailand every 90 days. If you intend to extend the Non-O for retirement purposes, you can do it during the last 30 days of any entry. If you meet all of the requirements a single entry visa would do and would cost 3000 baht less.